Resilient tire.



M. WALKOS.

RESILIENT TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.24. 1918.

1,292,667'. Patented Jan.28,1919.v

2 SHEETS-SHEET l. /7

l Michiel Walkms II i gag@ M M. WALKOS.

HESILIENT TIRE.

APPucATxoN FILED AUG.24.1918.

1 ,292,667. Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

gwoon/to@ Mi nhael Walknfl MICHAEL WALKOS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

RESILIENT TIRE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

Application led August 24, 1918. Serial No. 251,290.

To all lwhom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, MICHAEL WALKos, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and and an object of the invention is to provide a resilient tire structure adapted for use upon ordinary vehicle wheels, in lieu of pneumatic tires, as commonly used, and consequently resulting in the elimination of 'the many inconveniences contingent with the use of pneumatic tires, such as punctures, blow-outs, and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a resilient tire structure which comlprises a plurality of spring or resilient members bent intermediate their ends to form a pair of substantially parallel arcuate members the innermost of which is much shorter than the outermost. and which members are cut and shaped at their bent portions to provide a bearing for a supporting pin; and also to mount a resilient tread about the circumference of the tire which tread rests upon the outer ends of the outermost length of the spring members.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for compressing the spring members when mounting the resilient tread thereon.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel showing the improved resilient tire mounted thereon and having parts of the tire structure in section.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of one of the spring members.

Fig. 4 is a section through one of the spring members.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the device einployed for compressing the springs to facilitate the mounting of the resilient tread about the spring members.

Fig. 6 is a detail section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A indicates the wheel structure, which has the resilient tire structure generically indicated by the numeral 1 mounted about the rim or felly B thereof.

The resilient tire structure l comprises, a pair of confining plates 2 and 3 which are attached to the wheel felly B by suitable bolts 4. The plates 2 and 3 are provided with annular outstruck portions 5 which receive therein the rounded ends of pins 6. The pins 6 are provided for confining the resilient or spring members 7 in their proper places.

The resilient or spring members 7 are constructed of a sheet of spring metal which has its end portion reduced in thickness, to add to the resiliency thereof. These pieces or sheets of spring metal are rolled intermediate their ends as shown at 8 to provide the substantially parallel arcuate lengths 9 and 10. The inner length 10 `is much shorter than the outer length 9, and when the plurality of spring members 7, of which the resilient tire is formed, are in proper position, the short length 10 of one 'of the members 7 rests against a portion of the outer surface of the long length 9 of a spring member thereto and as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Each of the spring members 7 are provided with slits at the rolled portions S, forming tongues 11 which are bowed oppositely to the rolled or bowed portions 8, coacting therewith in formingbearings for the pins 6.

The inner relatively short length 10 of the spring members 7 is provided with a substantially straight portion 12which extends outwardly from the rolled portions of the spring plate and'rests against the connecting portions 13 of the supporting strip 14. The connecting portions 13 of the strip 14 connect the upper adjacent edges of the .concaved portion 15 thereof as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The supporting strip 14 engages about the periphery of the felly or rim B of the wheel A and it may be secured thereto in anyde'sired manner.

A resilient tread 16 is mounted about the spring structure. and this tread may be constructed of solid rubber or suitable resilient material. A device, which is employed for facilitating the mounting of the resilient tread 16 about the spring is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This device comprises a hoop 20, formed of hinged sections 21 and. 22. The

facing free ends of the sections 21 and 22 of the hoop are beveled to .snugly fit one another and the section 21 has a nut 23 carried thereby in which a feed screw 24 threadably engages. supported by a suitable bracket 25 which bracket is in turn pivotally connected as shown at 26 to a second bracket 27. The bracket 27 is attached to the section 22 of the hoop 20. The hoo-p -20 is placed about the outwardlyextending free yends of the length 9 of the spring' members, and by rotating the feed screw 24, the free ends of the hinged sections 21 and 22 may ibe drawn' to- -ward each other 'for forcing the free ends of the spring members inwardly toward :the axis of the wheel and permitting the mounting of the resilient tread 16 about the spring members. Afterthe resilient tread has been properly positioned, the rhoop 20 should be removed, and the plate or plates 2 or 3 is connected to the felly B.

The-shocks incident to the travel of the wheel will be yadministered through the resilient tread 16 to the length 9 of the spring members 7 and consequently the major portion thereof will be absorbed.

The return or outward movement of each of the lengths 9 of the spring members is -r'etarded'and to a certain vextent limited by the short length 10 ofthe adjacent spring member, which engagesthe same.

'Bolts 17 extend through the plates or flange members? 2 or 3 intermediate the telly Bv andthe resilient tread 16.

In assembling the resilient tire structure` one of the side plates 2 or`3 is'irst attached to the felly or rim B, of the wheel after which the supporting strip le is placed .about the periphery of the felly and the -variousipins 16 carrying the resilient springs or spring membersf? are V,placed in their respective positions and compressed and confined in their respective positions byl means kof the hoop or device 20 and conined there in yby this member until the tread 16 is properly in place or ismounted about portions of the spring members after the hinged sections 21 and 22 of the hoop 2O may be spread and the latter removed from about the springs. After the hoop 20 is removed. the tread 16 may be moved to its proper position and the other of the plates 2 or s attached tothe felly B.

It vis to be' understood that any suitable type of tread may be employed in the constructionof the' tire, such as a'fabric', rope or chainv tread.

' Changes in details may befmade without ldeparting from the spiritof ythis invention,

I claim:

1. In a resilient tire, the combinationof a 'plurality of spring members each comprising substantially `parallel arcuate sec- The feed screw 24 is rotatably tions of unequal lengths, the shorter of said sections resting against the outer surface ot the longer section of the spring member vnext thereto and means for attaching said 'sections resting against the louter'surface of the .longer section of the spring member next thereto.said spring members bowed at `the conjunction of said sections and having portions out out and bowed oppositely tothe remaining portion to form bearings, pins in said bearings', and side plates', said side plates provided with outstruck portions to receive the ends of said pins.

3. In a resilient tire, the combination, of a plurality of spring members, comprising substantially parallel arcuate sec-tions, said spring members bowed at the conjunction lof said .sections andhaving portions cut lout and bowed oppositely tothe remaining portionsl to formb'earings, pins in bearings, and side plates, said side platesv provided with outstruck portions to receive" "the ends of said pins.

` fi. In a resilient tire, vthe combination, of a` plurality of spring members, comprising substantially parallel arcuate sections,said spring inem-bers bowed at the conjunction `or' said sections, al supporting. plate, said supporting. plate vprovided with'de1'iressions'`v 'to receive the bowed portions-of said spring members, portions of said bowed vportions being cut and bowed oppositely to. there- `maiming portions lto liorm" bearings, 1pins in said bearings, side plates, said side plates provide-d with outstruck portionsftorecieive the ends of said ,pins` and a 'trea'd'mounted about said spring members and engagin againstthe outer surface of the free fen s of certain of the sections of said spring member.

'5. In a vresilient tire, the combination', of a plurality of spring members each'comprising substantially parallel arcuate sections of unequal lengths, the shorter of said sections resti-ng against the outer surface `ot the longer section of 'the spring member next thereto, said spring members/bowed at lthe conJunction of said sections', and-a supporting plate, said supporting plateffprovided 'withdepr'essions to receive thebowed portions of said spring members'the 4shorter of said spring member sections provided with substantially straight portionsadapted to engage the portions of said simporting plate between theI recesses itherein.

6. In a resilient tire, the combination, of a plurality of spring members each comprising substantially 'parallel arcuate .sections of unequal lengths, the shorter ofsaid sections resting against the outer' surface of the longer section of the spring member engage the portions of seid supporting plate next thereto, said spring members bowed at between the recesses therein, portions of said 10 the conjunction of said sections, a supportbowed portions being out and bowed oppoing plate, said supporting plate provided sitely to the remaining portion to form bearwith depressions to receive the bowed porings, pins in said bearings, and side plates, tions of said spring members, the shorter of sind side plates provided with outstruok said springmember sections provided with portions to receive the ends of said pins. 15 substantially straight portions adapted to MICHAEL WALKOS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner .of Patenti Wuhinlton, D. 0. 

